Flight capacities of three species of diving beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) estimated in a flight mill

Abstract To understand the life history strategies of diving beetles, it is important to obtain information regarding their flight capacities. We estimated the flight capacities of three dytiscid species in Japan using a flight mill. The mean flight distances of Hydaticus bowringii Clark, 1864, Hydaticus grammicus (Germar, 1827), and Rhantus suturalis (MacLeay, 1825) were 5.16, 1.97, and 0.58 km, respectively. Some individuals flew extremely long distances: 20.01 km in H. bowringii and 12.58 km in H. grammicus. The two representatives of the genus Hydaticus Leach, 1817 overwinter on land, far from water bodies or in the mud near emergent plants on the shore of water bodies; R. suturalis uses various water bodies throughout the year. The differences in overwintering sites may be reflected in the species’ flight capacities.